Jai involuntarily collapse on his bed with the letter in his hand and a stony silence enveloped him in its grips. Perhaps it was the shock of Bani leaving him suddenly or maybe the piercing pain that seemed to shatter his heart into pieces or maybe it was the familiar feeling of being left all alone in the World once again, that Jai's eyes were still dry….but that was perhaps no one could see his Heart bleeding. The silence in the room echoed with the death like numbness that Jai felt….
Bani made her way through the half empty compartment, it was off-season time and perhaps that is why she could get a ticket in such short notice. Bani had just one piece of luggage with her and after absent-mindedly checking her seat number, she hoisted her suitcase and collapsed in complete silence near the window seat. Bani had cried all her way to the Railway Station and had somehow managed to keep her tears in control as she trudged along inside the Train….her eyes were swollen and red….and anyone could make out that she had spent not just a few hours crying, but the few days and nights in tears too. Bani tried to wipe her face so that it won't show the trace of her personal grief, but only she knew that these tears were her only companion for the rest of her life. Bani thought to herself, now that Rano is with Pia and Pushkar, she need to worry too much about her and that they would be very upset when they learn that she left for Mount Abu without telling them, but she would explain things over the phone. At this moment, Bani did not have the courage or the will to speak to anyone….except one person, with whom unfortunately she could not talk even if she wanted to.
Bani determinedly thought to herself that she would not think about Jai, atleast not on her way to Mount Abu, but then how does one stop thinking of someone who is always on your mind.
As Bani stared at the busy station with vacant eyes, an old lady joined her in the Compartment and as is the case with most Indian passengers, she immediately started a conversation with Bani. "Beti, kahan tak jaa rahi ho?" Bani was suddenly jolted out of her reverie and she glanced at the Old lady who had just put her luggage in place and had comfortable seated herself opposite to Bani. "Ji, mein Jaipur tak jaa rahi hoon, wahan se Mount Abu ke liye Train badalni hogi."
Bani answered respectfully but with a finality that seemed to suggest she had not inclination to continue her talk further. Bani again started looking out at the crowded platform, while the Old lady did not relent and started talking about her family in Jaipur, where she was visting her son and daughter-in-law.
She then took out a small box from her bag and asked Bani, "Dekho toh beti, yeh Mangalsutra kaisa hai…maine apni bahu ke liye kharida hai. Accha hai na?" The Old lady held the chain in her hands and thrusted the Mangalsutra in Bani's unwilling hands and Bani choked despite her self-control and shivered as she said softly, "Bahut sundar hai…aapki bahu ko bahut pasand aayega."
And then immediately gave it back to her traveling companion. As Bani urged the Train to start, so that she could lie on her berth and pretend to sleep, the Old lady commented again, "Beta, bura na manu toh ek baat kahu?" Bani looked at the Old lady but did not say anything. "Shayad aaj kal ka fashion hai, magar meine dekha ki tum bhi shaadi shuda ho, lekin tum nein Mangalsutra nahin pehna….budhi hoon na, isliye in choti baton par mera dhyan jaata hai."
Bani looked shocked and asked the Old Lady, "Aapko kaise pata chala ki meri shaadi ho chuki hai?" The Old lady smiled maternally and said, "Tum shayad apna Mangalsutra ghar bhul aayi hogi, magar tumhari maang bhari hui hai." Bani instinctively raised her fingers to her forehead and as she held her trembling hand in front of her, she noticed the speck of red color in her fingers….How did I forget to remove my Sindoor?
Bani felt a lump in her throat as she looked at the faint red color smeared on her fingers and in a desperate attempt to stop her tears from flowing, she started ransacking her handbag and her hands fell on her Walkman….which was incidentally a gift from Jai!
Bani looked at the Walkman and a warm, gentle smile spread on her face as she remembered how Jai had been forced to buy a present for Bani because of Mausi's prodding and at a loss of ideas, Jai had brought the first thing, they had seen in the Departmental Store, a Sony Walkman! Bani then realized that she is not carrying any Cassettes, but she decided to anyway put on the Earplugs so that the Old lady would not carry out any more conversations with her. Bani glanced at her watch as she saw that there was just 5 minutes more to go for the Train.
Bani switched on the Walkman and resting her head on the window grills, she closed her eyes….the cacophony of vendors, travelers, men, women and children on the Platform all filtering in her ears….and then suddenly;
"Bani…..mujhe tumse aaj kuch kehna hai. Aur yeh baat aisi hai jise mein ab kisi aur se kabhi nahi keh paaoonga aur na kabhi kehna chahunga….." Bani opened her eyes with a jolt as she listened to Jai's familiar warm, deep throated voice booming through the headphones and her heart almost skipped a beat as the voice continued…..
"Pata nahin hamare beech ka anjaan rishta kab tumhein mere itne kareeb le aayi, ki mujhe tumhari aane ki aahat bhi sunayi nahin di…..bas jab aank khuli, toh tum mere saamne khadi thi….aur phir in aankhon ko kuch aur dekhne ki chahat hi nahin rahin….
Maine kabhi socha bhi nahin tha ki mein tumse yoong mil jaaonga....aur phir meri zindagi kabhi meri apni nahin rahegi....hamesha ke liye tumhari ho jaayegi....Tum se mil kar zindagi se saar gile shikve door ho gaye...bus dil mein ek kasak reh gayi, ki meri zindagi ke din itni der se kyon phire....tum pehle kyon meri nahi hui?
Maine itne saalon mein, kabhi kisi se aankhen nahin churayi, joh kehna chahta tha, who seedhe muh keh diya….magar tumhare saat, na hi mere zindagi ke usool badal gaye, magar mere jazbaat, meri bhawnaayein, mere sapne aur meri umeedin bhi badal gayi….aur shaayad isi liye, mein tum se yeh baat tumhare saamne nahin kar saka!
Bani, mein nahin jaanta ki yeh pyaar kya hai aur mujhe kabhi pyaar hua bhi hai ya nahin. Haan sirf itna jaanta hoon, ki jab tum hasti ho, toh mere chehre par bhi muskaan aaj jaati hai, jab tumhari aankhen nam pad jaati hai, toh chot mere dil ko pahunchti hai, jab tum udaas hoti ho, toh yeh gham mujhe bhi chain se nahin rehne deta.
Tumhare saat zindagi ki bheed mein bhi mujhe ek anjaana sa sukoon milta hai, tumhari khamoshi bina kuch kahe, mujh se sab kuch bol jaati hai, tum paas nahi bhi raho, toh bhi hamesha mere saat rehti ho…..agar yeh pyaar nahin hai, toh shaayad main tum se pyaar nahin karta….toh phir yeh sab kya hai, tum bataogi mujhe?
Hamare beech jo kuch bhi hua, na tum use bhula sakti ho, na mein use bhula paaonga….phir bhi ek umeed lekar tum se yeh poochne ki gustaki kar raha hoon…
Kya meri zindagi ke safar mein tum mere saat chalogi….kya main aur tum…Hum ban sakte hai?
Tumhara jo bhi jawab hoga, mujhe poori khushi se manzoor hoga…yeh kabhi mat soch lena, ki tumhari Na se mere dil mein tumhare liye jazba hai, woh kam ho jaayega….
Tumhara jawab chahe haan mein ho yaa na mein, ek shikva toh zindagi se hamesha reh jaayegi....ki mujhe itna thoda waqt kyon mila tumhare saat....tum se pyaar karne ke liye yeh ek zindagi bahut kam padegi...shayad saat janam aur lene pagenge, tumhare saat ke liye...
Bani, Tum aur sirf tum, hamesha mere dil mein rahogi, chahe mujhe tumhara saat mile ya naa mile. Yaad hai, tumhi ne ek din kaha tha, ki pyaar do dilon ka saat mangta hai, do logon ka nahin....
Tumhare jawab ka intezaar rahega…..
Jai."
Bani suddenly realized as the tape whirred silently, bringing the sound of the Train chugging past slowly that her throat had gone dry and she was crying unabashedly……The Old lady kept asking her what happened and as if in a limbo, Bani managed to shout with a desperation, "Please Train roko…mujhe jaana hai…..Oh God, please koi is train ko roko….." Some of the other passengers looked at the young girl desperately ambling her way through the narrow path leading to the end of the Compartment, Bani looked delirious with tears flowing out of her eyes as she clutched the walkman in her hands and desperately tried to make her way out…….
Will wrap up the story in Part 3! Kindly share your views and comments on Part 2 of the Fan-fic!😳
The first part of the Fan-fic is attached below as the link:
http://www.india-forums.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=282603&K W=Mistletoe
Would love to hear your views and comment on the second part of the Fan-fic!
Love,
MT
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